Critically important management decisions must be taken where the management of winter cereal crops is concerned over the coming days.
The latest episode of the Tillage Edge podcast focuses on this specific issue courtesy of insights provided by Teagasc crops specialists, Ciaran Collins and Shay Phelan.
Both have taken the opportunity to assess a range of crops over recent days.
Winter barley
Teagasc tillage specialist, Ciaran Collins reflected on the management priorities now apparent for winter barley crops.
He said: “A lot of growers have struggled to get into fields over recent weeks. As a consequence, significant backlogs have resulted where the application of fertiliser and the implementation of disease control programmes are concerned.”
According to Collins, soils across the country are drying out rapidly at the present time.
A sustained period of dry weather is in the offing, a development that has served to improve the mood of all tillage farmers.
“Growers who have tried to get out into fields recently will have to live with the deep and messy tramlines that were created through to final harvest,” he said.
Collins confirmed that winter barley crops are at a range of development stages.
“Later sown crops are at Growth Stage 31. However, crops sown that little bit earlier are at the flag leaf stage. This is what we would expect in any year.
“On average, winter barley crops would be at around Growth Stage 32 to 33. There was a very condensed period of planting up to the middle of October last. After that, field work basically came to a halt.
“If the final split of nitrogen has not been applied by Growth Stage 31 to 33, growers would need to be getting on with this work as a matter of priority,” he explained.
The aspect of winter barley management that is not up to date, relates to weed and disease control, plus the application of plant growth regulators.
Collins continued: “The reality is, that many farmers have not been able to get in with sprayers up to this point. It’s vitally important for farmers to walk fields now and directly assess the thickness of their winter barley crops.”
As a rule of thumb, Collins is recommending the use of Terpal in winter barley crops that have reached Growth Stage 33.”
Winter wheat
Shay Phelan discussed the key tasks that relate to the management of winter wheat crops at the present time.
“The drilling season for winter wheat was much longer relative to that for winter barley crops.
“Some wheat crops were planted out in October with the work continuing, as weather permitted, through to February. As a result, crops are at a wide range of growth stages.”
According to Phelan, wheat crops sown out during October and November past are now at Growth Stage 30 to 31.
“From what I can gather, many growers have been able to get out and spray crops over the past week or so,” he said
“But many farmers were unable to get a pre-emergent herbicide out on to crops. As a result, they have spent the last week or so tacking both grass and broadleaf weeds.”
Phelan pointed out that a prominent issue at the moment is that many winter wheat crops are looking quite “leggy”.
“As a result growth growers are pushing to get a plant growth regulator applied as a matter of priority. The third priority requirement for wheat crops at the moment relates to the main split of nitrogen.
“In cases where this has not been applied, crops are looking a little bit hungry. Given the challenging conditions faced by crops prior to Christmas, growers are pushing to get up to 150kg of N/ha on to wheat at the present time.”
Turning to disease control measures in winter wheat, Phelan stressed the absolute priority for growers of going out with a fungicide at the Leaf 3 stage.
“This approach has been shown to boost yield. Last week, I compared some crops from the Athy area with those growing at Teagasc Oakpark.
“Outwardly, they looked very similar. However, dissection of the plants confirmed that Leaf 3 was nowhere near emerged, in the case of the Oakpark crops.
“In the case of the Athy crops we were talking almost 60% emergence.
“Relating this information terms of a disease programme means that the Athy crops should receive a fungicide right now with the Oakpark crops receiving their disease prevention treatment a week or so later,” Phelan explained.
Winter oats
Phelan said that “crops are fast-approaching Growth Stage 32. With wheat, the main split of nitrogen will be required over the coming days.
“In most cases, the requirement is for 102 to 130kg/ha.”
He continued: “After that, it’s a case of looking at the plant growth regulator requirements for winter oats. Oakpart trials confirm that crops at Growth Stage 32 to 33 will respond best in this context.
“There aren’t large amounts of disease in oat crops at the present time.
“Mildew and crown rust will be issues. So fungicide mixes should reflect this scenario.”